Rumors lead to apologies
by Warker
Summary: Oliver goes to Felicity's house to apologize. (NOTE: This is a sequel to my other story "Rumors". It would be good to read that one first.)


**Author's Note: **_This is a follow-up to my other story called "Rumors". You might want to read that one before you read this one. I am a big fan of reviews and constructive criticism, so if you feel like it, please leave a review. _

**Disclaimer: **I don't own these characters. They belong to DC Comics and The CW.

Rumors lead to apologies

Ok, so I clearly made a mistake. I should have told Felicity about the rumors that Isabel told me about as soon as I found out, but honestly, what were we going to do? I used to live my life in front of the tabloids I know that denying things only adds more fuel to the fire.

She walked out of the foundry about two hours ago, and as I'm taking the elevator up to her apartment, I'm wondering if two hours is long enough for her to have cooled down.

I'm about to knock but I stop, I can hear her through the door, talking to … someone.

"I just don't understand why he wouldn't have said something. ANYTHING. I mean, honestly, to think that this is what co-workers imagine when they see me at my desk, walking down the halls. I don't know how I'm going to walk back into the office with my head held high."

I take a deep breath, as if I'm about to shoot an arrow, and knock on the door.

"Who is it?"

"Felicity, it's Oliver. Open the door. Please? We need to talk."

She opens it a bit; I can see the chain is still attached.

"What do you want?"

"Do you really want to have this conversation here, with me standing in your hallway?"

She doesn't look convinced, and for a few seconds I think she's actually going to make me stand out here, but then she takes a deep breath, closes the door, I hear the chain being pulled, and she opens the door again.

"All right, come on in. But don't think I'm not still mad at you."

"I wouldn't dare."

I step inside her apartment and realize I've never been here before. I also realize there's no one else in this apartment.

"Who were you talking to before?"

She turns to look at me like I'm crazy, but after a beat, she smiles at me sheepishly.

"No one, well, myself. I was talking to myself."

She walks me to her couch and motions for me to sit down.

"I'd offer you something, but I'm still angry. So, just take a seat and say what you need to say and then get out Oliver."

I see this is going to be harder than I thought. I walk over to her couch, sit down and turn to her.

"Look, Felicity, I apologize for not telling you sooner. That was a mistake on my part for sure. But you also have to remember, I used to be tabloid fodder. I know how the rumor mill works. Denying it publicly only makes things worse."

She's sitting on the other side of the couch, her hands making fists, and I find I've actually lost my train of thought as I keep watching her.

"Um, so I really just … kind of thought that ignoring the rumors would make them go away on their own. Besides, Isabel is the one who told me about them, I'm not sure I trust her all that much."

I look up at Felicity and I see her take a deep breath.

"Oliver, I get that. And you are right, denying the rumors would probably just add to them. But that's not why I'm angry. I'm angry because you didn't TELL me about the rumors in the first place."

I rub my eyes in an effort to buy myself some time and because I'm getting a headache. I don't really have an excuse as to why I didn't tell her, except to say I didn't want to hurt her feelings. Clearly, that didn't work.

"I get it. I should have said something as soon as I heard the rumors. And I promise if anything like this happens again, I'll tell you right away. Scout's honor."

Felicity lets out a breath, kind of like she's defeated … or maybe she's just letting her anger go.

"You get one more chance, Oliver. No more secrets between us. If it has to do with me, you have to tell me. I'll do the same for you."

I figure this is as close as I'm going to get to a deal with Felicity.

"You got it. I promise. Will you come back to the foundry tomorrow?"

She smiles at me, which puts me at ease.

"Um, no. Sorry, but you don't get off that easy."

And just like that, I'm worried again.

"I'm taking the weekend off. Unless it's a MAJOR emergency, like the Dark Archer is back and Isabel is his sidekick and they've got new souped-up Vertigo and they've placed bombs all over the city- kind of emergency, then don't call me."

I laugh at her rambling; the girl certainly knows how to take advantage of a situation.

"Guess Dig will have to work the computers this weekend then."

"I guess so. It's a good thing I taught him how to hook up the comms. You know, so you guys can stay in touch if you go out on a mission."

She gets up from the couch, which I take as a hint that I should get up too. I'm right, since she walks to the door and opens it.

"Felicity, I'm really sorry about this. It won't happen again."

"Make sure it doesn't Oliver."

She closes the door behind me.

Walking down the hallway to the elevator I realize how much this situation makes me admire Felicity even more. She never wanted the job in the first place, now she finds out that people think she slept her way to that job and the only penance I'll have to pay for that is a couple of days of Dig manning the computers. She really is remarkable.

Now I just need to figure out how to tell Diggle he's the computer geek for the weekend.


End file.
